The Martial Way

[Sparkle]

So far in every semester in college I end up writing a paper about fighting/martial arts in some class assignment. This was my last one that I wrote on my views on "the martial way." Hope it's not too terrible of a piece of writing : P


Abstract
“The Martial Way” dissects the importance of confidence, self-esteem, character, and well-being of the individual in society today. Using rational choice theory and the negative components of society to elaborate on how the individual is often ruled by fear, the essay explains how the martial philosophy can free a person from these burdens by helping them to gain more confidence, self-esteem, character and well-being through learning the art of combat.



The Martial way

Many people’s decisions in life are based on fear from implied social standards such as gender, class, race, and cultural roles, or direct social standards such as law, welfare, and politics. Often we find ourselves doing things that we would rather not take part in, sacrificing our own point of view in attempt to get along with society, and repressing who we are. We also find ourselves not doing things that we feel we should be doing due to this fear that society creates for us as human beings. This fear that society creates often has an effect on the self-esteem, confidence, character, and even the well-being of some individuals. Martial arts and the martial philosophy offer an alternative form of through the learning of combat skills which can help an individual act outside of many fears and influences from society. Martial arts philosophy can offer the building or rebuilding of confidence in the self, character, self-esteem and well-being that society often negatively affects.


Although the philosophy of the martial arts can vary from multiple disciplines the main understanding is that through the learning of combat skills one can gain more confidence in themselves, self-esteem, character and well-being. Shotakan Karate, one of the most practiced disciplines of martial arts today state the philosophy in their Dojo Kun. The Dojo Kun states that an individual should:
One. Seek perfection of Character.
One. Defend the path of truth.
One. Strive to excel,.
One. Be courteous.
One. Refrain from violence.


In the Dojo Kun listing, no philosophical statements are numbered before or after another. Funakoshi Sensei, The founder of Shotokan Karate and author of Shotokan’s view on martial arts philosophy stated that “he felt no item of the kun was any more important than another, thus why they are all listed as number one.”


Other styles or schools of the martial arts show a very similar philosophy as well. Statements from schools like the Emerald Necklace Budo in Allston, MA state the philosophy by sayings, “Our goal is to increase the quality of life of our members and clients by teaching personal safety skills, mind/body awareness, and the self-defense mindset that generates self-confidence and a greater sense of personal empowerment, well-being, and security” and the Aikido for Kids established in Westchester, NY claims that, “The point of all martial arts training ultimately is to build the character of the individual practitioner.” Although the various schools of the martial arts philosophy may differ from each other slightly, the main understanding is that through learning how to fight one can become a more confident individual, gain self-esteem, build more character and well-being which often results in a more independent individual.


To most this would seem a bit strange. How could such a one sided thing, the learning of how to defeat a threat through physical confrontation branch out into the human psyche and well-being of a person? This is because learning to fight on a personal level is not just about physical combat. When one learns to fight they are often exposed to more through personal experience and perception then just the combat aspect of learning martial skill. Being able to defend your person or being able to attack another human being for whatever cause you deem as necessary promotes personal independence. Being able to depend on yourself rather then others in a stressful situation in turn leads to more confidence and self-esteem in an individual as well as having either a socially perceived increase or decrease in character by any given social standard. When these attributes are assimilated into daily interaction and personal struggle an understanding of the ramifications of having the confidence in your ability to defend yourself or attack another goes beyond that of the realm of fighting.


The importance of having confidence in one’s self, self-esteem, and character is not a new realization nor is it original to the martial arts philosophy. It is a highly researched area of human nature in psychology and social sciences. In an article from the National Association for Self-esteem the importance of self-esteem is elaborated on in a final analysis of thorough research which states, “Definitive research on self-esteem has been difficult due to the variety of definitions and the many self-esteem measures being used, and the multiple factors which influence it. Nevertheless, the preponderance of evidence underscores the significance of self-esteem and its relationship to so many of the problems facing youth today. It is also evident that programs to foster self-esteem can serve as a “social vaccine” in reducing the incidence of many such problems” The National Association for Self-Esteem links low self-esteem with school achievement, crime, violence, teenage pregnancy, drug and alcohol abuse, school dropouts and even suicide.


Confidence also plays a heavy role in self-esteem. The National Association for Self-Esteem also states in their article, “What is self-esteem” that self-esteem is, “The experience of being capable of meeting life’s challenges and being worthy of happiness.” With emphasis on the first part of the National Association for Self-esteem’s definition of self-esteem, confidence is a key role in having self-esteem; without the ability to “meet life’s challenges” then one cannot be said to be a confident person. Without confidence in one’s self, self-esteem cannot be attained. Since the need for self-esteem is seen as vital in the development and well-being of an individual, then confidence is also an important factor in the development of the human psyche.


The importance of self-esteem and confidence is seen to be a serious situation in youth today. Without good self-esteem and confidence the youth of today are often apt to becoming problematic adults in the future and is often the reason why many adults are problems in society today. Through the martial arts philosophy, learning combat skills can help build self-esteem and confidence in an individual. While it does build self-esteem through physical combat, the intention of the philosophy does not correlate with just being able to pummel an opponent. The philosophy of martial arts attempts to help an individual realize their social disposition and the rational choices through fear that many people make or have made through awareness in each individuals personal journey with the learning of combat skills.


In rational choice theory it is established that many people follow the law or a social standard most often out of fear. This fear is usually brought on by other people or groups and fear of physical confrontation, verbal abuse, humiliation or some other form of inflicted discomfort. When one learns the martial way, the frailty of life is understood and with time the fear of discomfort can become null. Learning and knowing how to choke somebody to death, to break their knee or arm, to claw their eye out or impale them upon a weapon, to learn how to shoot them or hurt them to such an extent that they cannot fight back is empowering. It can give an individual confidence in their self that they can defend themselves in a needful situation and in turn gives them less things in life to fear from other people. This in turn can help build the confidence in an individual to voice their opinion, stick their necks out in various situations, or protect themselves or others from oppressive forces. With confidence in their own ability to fight and hold their own in a stressful situation self-esteem is built. Through physical combat the martial arts philosophy can help to build an individual’s self-esteem and self-confidence which can result in a more ambitious, outgoing, and lively individual which is often revered in society.


Although gaining a deeper understanding about the frailty of life through the learning of combative art is empowering, it is also humbling. The ability to restrain, maim, or kill another person often makes one realize that all of the things that they have learned dealing with the art of combat is also reflected upon them. A person who has learned the ability to choke a person to death, smash another in the mouth with teeth shattering force, cut a person across an artery to bleed them to death, shoot them from a distance or simply hold them down as they struggle in a drunken fury should also become aware that the very same things that they have learned can be done to them. The martial philosophy gives a heavy emphasis to understanding this as it promotes a humble attitude as well as humility which results in the building of character.


Character is well defined in an article on the Stanford College website on Plato and Aristotle’s explanation of character saying, “He [referring to Aristotle] thinks that the virtuous person is characterized by a nonstereotypical self-love that he understands as a love of fully realized rational activity. Yet this self-love is not an individual achievement. Its development and preservation require (a) friendships in which individuals come to desire the good of others for others' own sakes and (b) political institutions that promote the conditions under which self-love and friendship flourish.” The notion that the individual who will make choices based on individual morality and understanding rather then fear or an impulse for a personal desire is the person who is stated to have more character.


Many times people are put into a predicament in which they can either act instinctively or make an aware and understood decision. A common example of a situation like this would be a predicament in which one must either decide to instinctively fight with a person verbally or physically when challenged in a heated argument over a point of view or think of a more reasoned way of settling the argument. Some fights are based upon nothing but verbal disagreements which often dwindle down to personal insults and result in physical confrontation. In many of these situations the predicament does not have to result in physical confrontation as is the case with many civil disputes. The humility gained through the marital arts often helps one to understand that physical confrontation is not always the best means to an end and can leave somebody with injuries that will hinder many of their motor abilities for many years or even life; it could also result in the death of one of the parties in the dispute. The martial philosophy attempts to emphasize this through the learning of combative skills and in time help the practitioner become more aware of their actions. In time it is hoped that an individual will no longer think, “if I can hurt this guy I don’t need to listen to his opinion” but rather say to himself, “There is no reason for this to result in a physical confrontation which could leave somebody seriously hurt. I should find a different way of resolving this or yield my argument to a less aggressive approach.”


The ability to think, reason, and take an action with the other person’s well-being in mind shows respect, humility, a humble spirit, confidence, sympathy, and a plethora of other aspects of human character. A person’s actions become more considerate of others and the epitome of what good character is. This is also the understanding of the “no violence” aspect of the martial arts philosophy: to not escalate a situation with violence that can be resolved through peaceful and genuine intention. The intent of the martial arts philosophy is not to provoke violence, but for an individual to become aware of the many results that physical confrontation can end in. The philosophy of martial arts is not for the individual to act directly aggressive in personal intent, but to act with violence towards another who will not reason in a more respectful manner and uses violence as their only means to gain what they want. When one understands this and incorporates it into their life they often no longer see violence as the only means that is necessary to their intended end. Instead of acting upon the pure instinct of desire (hurting a person who shows a lack of respect or verbal hostility towards you), the notion of thinking of other alternative, well-reasoned and altruistic actions are put into action. This in turn builds the character of an individual and can result in a human being who is much more capable of being compatible with society then the tyrant who chooses to use force to solve all of their problems.


Confidence and self-esteem often result in an individual taking risks and living a full life full of new experiences. Through these new experiences concepts are learned, various things understood and the intricacies of human nature is more likely to be understood. With the building of character through awareness of what the possible end results of combat can be, one can use their confidence and self-esteem to make good decisions in their life time that society often holds high as an example of how human beings should act. Following the philosophy of martial arts often results in an individual to be a fruitful, well reasoned and respectful individual which leads to the philosophies assertion that following the “martial way” can often lead to a better well-being. The part of the philosophy that implies a better well-being is simple logic; if one gets along better with people because they have good character, are confident and have plenty of self-esteem then their mental and physical well-being will often be well off.


A great example of the entire martial philosophy put into action can be seen in the Ultimate Fighter Championship (UFC) organization with mixed martial arts (MMA) fighting. An example of the confidence, self-esteem, character and eventual well-being of an individual is told in the welterweight championship bout that took place on April 7, 2007. The bout was between the current welterweight champion, George St. Pierre, and the Ultimate Fighter reality show winner Matt Serra. George St. Pierre had just come of a huge win against the former welterweight champion Matt Hughes who had multiple title defenses and was regarded as one of the best fighters around. George St. Pierre made him look like an inexperienced fighter in his champion ship bout with Hughes. Matt Serra was a contestant on the Ultimate Fighter four reality show which consisted of washed up fighters who needed a break. The winner of the reality show got a chance to fight the title holder of their division.
Here we have a situation that puts a man who is at the top of his weight division, has just destroyed the previous champion who was a man thought to be invincible, fighting a washed up, middle aged man who to say is an underdog in this event is putting it lightly.


Tell the underdog Matt Serra this (which many people did) and he replied saying, “I’m training hard and looking to execute what I’ve got to do. I don’t care what people say, I’m in control of my own destiny in there.” and “I feel I am dangerous everywhere, and if people are looking past that, that’s good for me, I’m not upset about it.” This is a prime example of what confidence in one’s self is: to be a complete underdog and be told by everyone that you will not win and still be able to believe in yourself and your ability to win due to your constant practice in the combative arts. Although many fighters portray an arrogant form of confidence, Serra’s confidence is not the usual cocky “I’m better then everyone” attitude that many other fighters portray but rather a confidence brought forth through the training, understanding, and application of physical combat in the world of sports. In his interviews he also displayed a tremendous amount of character by only replying to people’s doubts with his own faith in his self rather then becoming upset and making his bout with the current welterweight champion a grudge match. On April 7th, 2007 Matt Serra defeated the current champion George St. Pierre in their bout by referee stoppage in the first round.


In truth, this confidence Serra portrayed in himself is purely a confidence in being able to defeat your opponent through your own preparation. In the world of sports this is often the only sort of confidence that matters. Fighting is not just a hobby, it is a means to survive, a way of life and the confidence to beat your opponent branches out into every aspect of your life socially and personally. The martial way is quite often the philosophy many sports fighters live by because their well-being depends upon it. Without confidence, and self-esteem their fighting ability wont produce the desired results; without a good character they do not build a good public image which often results in sponsorships or marketing opportunities, and without confidence, self-esteem, and character their own well-being can be effected.


Although Matt Serra is a great example of an individual person who has made the martial way a means of living for himself and presents the martial philosophy well, his is not realistic for the average man who walks in to a place of training that attempts to teach the martial way. The aim of many martial arts schools that teach the martial arts philosophy is not to make a proficient, athletic prize fighter out of the practitioner but to make them a more aware, altruistic, and humane individual.


In an article on Budo (the spiritual aspect of martial arts) by The Zen Buddhist Order of Hsu Yun a description that portrays the art of combat and the pursuit of the martial philosophy is well put saying:


“The philosophy of "body and mind oneness" is that which the Budoka spends his life trying to achieve. Budo, therefore, is concerned with the development of the complete person, i.e., of his body, mind, and spirit. When we approach our training with this objective in mind, the goal of "training to be a better fighter" is replaced with the goal of "training to be a better person". Fighting is then reduced to its proper place as a mere by-product.”
The learning, understanding, and application of the martial philosophy through the learning of combat skills is a tool meant to further the individual in their journey to become a better fighter as well as a better human being. It is a philosophy of tolerance, acceptance, a firm position in who you are and a willingness to defend and further yourself.


Confidence, self-esteem, character and well-being are important aspects in all of us. Without them we are all apt to becoming less productive, less intuitive and less respectful human beings. Social standards, law, and many other factors often have an affect upon each individuals confidence, self-esteem, character and well-being and although the martial arts is not the only alternative to counter these oppressive forces, it is most certainly a well established means to achieving a better life style and a way to further yourself as an individual in mind, body, and spirit. Through time the learning of martial skill and philosophy can help one gain more confidence, self-esteem, character and eventually even give a person more well-being. Martial arts is not only about learning how to hurt another person or to assert yourself as a strong individual. The philosophy of the martial arts is to become a stronger individual, confident and strong in the mind and spirit as well as the physical realm and to use all three aspects of human nature, mind, body, and spirit in each and every human beings life long goal in the pursuit of happiness. It is an approach to a peaceful goal that teaches the ability to defend it with force.




Sources Cited



Marcia Homiak. “Moral Character.” Feb. 2nd, 2007. http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/moral-character/
“Shoto Dojo Kun.” http://www.shotokanforeveryone.com/index_fr.htm
Thomas Gerbasi. “Odds “What Odds” Serra takes aim at GSP’s title.” April 4th, 2007.http://www.ufc.com/index.cfm?fa=news.detail&gid=5069
Emerald Necklace Budo. “Our Mission.” Sept. 29th, 2006.http://www.emeraldnecklacebudo.com/mission.htm
“Why Aikido.” http://www.scarsdaleaikido.com/kids.html
Robert W. Reasoner. “Review of Self-Esteem Research.” http://www.self-esteem-nase.org/research.shtml
Robert Reasoner. “The True Meaning of Self-Esteem.” http://www.self-esteem-nase.org/whatisselfesteem.shtml
“Budo“. July 28, 2004. http://www.hsuyun.org/Dharma/zbohy/M...says/3-bs.html

[Tanizaki]

Tl;dr

[Sparkle]

Originally Posted by Tanizaki

Tl;dr

WTF Man! I wrote all that and I get a Tl;dr ?! what's that mean?! Is that a smiley witha cool hat sticking his tongue out while resting on a lower case r. I was happy when I saw somebody posted (FINALLY) to my writing and all I get to see is that! BAH!

[True Axiom]

TLDR=Too long, didn't read.

I quite after the third paragraph.

[Tanizaki]

Originally Posted by Sparkle

WTF Man! I wrote all that and I get a Tl;dr ?! what's that mean?! Is that a smiley witha cool hat sticking his tongue out while resting on a lower case r. I was happy when I saw somebody posted (FINALLY) to my writing and all I get to see is that! BAH!

It means any paper that has webpages as its sole sources is the product of a lazy researcher. Go visit a library.

[MatsunoCj]

luckily i read pretty fast so i read it and i liked it, especially the last paragraph, it explained the goals of martial arts well in a way that i think people will be able to understand even if they arent martial artists

[Tanizaki]

Originally Posted by MatsunoCj

luckily i read pretty fast so i read it and i liked it, especially the last paragraph, it explained the goals of martial arts well in a way that i think people will be able to understand even if they arent martial artists

I got a kick when he talked about the "philosophy of martial arts" in the last paragraph. What is the philosophy of boxing?

[Sparkle]

Originally Posted by True Axiom

TLDR=Too long, didn't read.

I quite after the third paragraph.

Ah! I have learned something then : D.

Tanizaki - Martial arts in the way I am defining it is practicing combat skills to perfection. If you try to perfect anything in life what you are attempting to perfect becomes a part of you. Due to the nature of combat (life and death, serious injury) the practice of combative arts ("martial arts") becomes it's own thing and has its own philosophies to it that are inspired by the nature of fighting. Singling something out to contrast with "martial arts" like boxing is sort of like trying to single out carpentry from construction. It just doesn't make much sense . . . .

The philosophy isn't ideal to traditional martial arts, sports martial arts, weapons combat or any of the like. It is also not understood by people who only give it a glance and assume they know what they are talking about (as is anything in life). The "martial way" is a generalized term for a commonly understood philosophy with its roots in fighting.

[Tanizaki]

Originally Posted by Sparkle

Ah! I have learned something then : D.

Tanizaki - Martial arts in the way I am defining it is practicing combat skills to perfection. If you try to perfect anything in life what you are attempting to perfect becomes a part of you.

I do not try to perfect anything because I know that perfection is metaphysically impossible.

Due to the nature of combat (life and death, serious injury) the practice of combative arts ("martial arts") becomes it's own thing and has its own philosophies to it that are inspired by the nature of fighting.

Name them. What is the philosophy of gun fighting, for example?

Singling something out to contrast with "martial arts" like boxing is sort of like trying to single out carpentry from construction. It just doesn't make much sense . . . .

This is not responsive.

The philosophy isn't ideal to traditional martial arts, sports martial arts, weapons combat or any of the like. It is also not understood by people who only give it a glance and assume they know what they are talking about (as is anything in life). The "martial way" is a generalized term for a commonly understood philosophy with its roots in fighting.

What? Obviously, it is not commonly understood to me. Can you please explain?

Also, you need to learn the difference between "affect" and "effect".

[Sparkle]

Originally Posted by Tanizaki

I do not try to perfect anything because I know that perfection is metaphysically impossible.


Ooooh aren't we clever

Name them. What is the philosophy of gun fighting, for example?

You're still not getting it . . . Using a gun is learning a weapon which in itself is learning some part of the general term "combat". I have not met a person yet who practices and knows how to use a gun (I live in deep south U.S., lots of people own guns as well as myself) who doesn't understand the lethal qualities of it and how it should be treated/handled. Take a class on using a gun and you get this philosophy shoved right up your arse, plenty of "this gives you power, do not abuse this power" all throughout the class.

This is not responsive.

It was meant to be non responsive, I'm glad you figured that one out although you didn't get that analogy to how it applies with fighting which you revealed with your first comment in your post.

What? Obviously, (ask yourself, do you really need this comma there?) it is not commonly understood to me. Can you please explain?

Also, you need to learn the difference between "affect" and "effect".

Check out some of the sources sited and do a google search. A lot of schools present it in many different ways. Also the paper has a problem with agreement as well which is why I didn't get a perfect grade on it.

[Tom O'Brien]

I noticed that Matt Serra was used as a model of a competitor who didn't care what other people said, he believes in himself. When he found out he was going to fight Matt Hughes he said "I feel like I already won because I will get to punch Matt Hughes in the face."
Thanks,
Sensei Tom

[MatsunoCj]

im suprised this thread got all complicated, he wrote a paper that was interesting i dont think he was trying to be philisophical about it, i think he was just trying to explain some of the reasons some people do martial arts in his opinion, just my guess though i may be wrong

[flashlock]

This isn't criticism against you, but only the paper.

I found it utterly boring and trivial. You haven't asked any real questions, haven't addressed MA as a sub-culture (and sub-sub cultures within the sub culture!), and haven't questioned the whitewashed self-help drivel of modern "dojos" when compared to the historical / cultural roots of MA, especially in Feudal Japan.

Why is there a slight trend or slight cultural shift from more mainstream sports (American Football) toward ultra-violent entertainment in this age of Terror?

Is the samurai the poster-child of MA self-development? Why is that a stupid idea? What doesn't jive.

Is it just a hobby, fitness, fad. How are these people demonstrating "character"... how is it defined? Or is it just an empty slogan these days.

Who gravitates to MA? Ex-military? Victims? Bored housewives?

How much of it is about Foucaultian power (master/slave)?

You haven't even scratched the surface in your essay. It's absolutely insipid and unimaginative, in my opinion. You need to question every sentence and every idea--it seems like the product of a lazy mind.

[Sparkle]

Originally Posted by flashlock

This isn't criticism against you, but only the paper.

I found it utterly boring and trivial. You haven't asked any real questions, haven't addressed MA as a sub-culture (and sub-sub cultures within the sub culture!), and haven't questioned the whitewashed self-help drivel of modern "dojos" when compared to the historical / cultural roots of MA, especially in Feudal Japan.

My intent was not to ask questions. It was to relate an opinion through a little research (it was a research paper but not one for a PhD . . . .). What does the historical/cultural roots of MA have anything to do with it? Honestly I don't think any of that has to be known nor understood to receive any of well . . . . anything.

Why is there a slight trend or slight cultural shift from more mainstream sports (American Football) toward ultra-violent entertainment in this age of Terror?

What would be the relevance of this in my essay

Is the samurai the poster-child of MA self-development? Why is that a stupid idea? What doesn't jive.

Again, what would be the relevance? Do you believe one has to be a samurai to understand the philosophy behind fighting or something? I think it's a "stupid idea" because it doesn't have anything to do with anything in the paper.
Is it just a hobby, fitness, fad. How are these people demonstrating "character"... how is it defined? Or is it just an empty slogan these days.

Who gravitates to MA? Ex-military? Victims? Bored housewives?

Somebody who practices it? What makes a carpenter, what makes football player, what makes a writer . . . . the action.

[QUOTE
How much of it is about Foucaultian power (master/slave)?
[/QUOTE]
Again, not seeing the connection here . . . .

You haven't even scratched the surface in your essay. It's absolutely insipid and unimaginative, in my opinion. You need to question every sentence and every idea--it seems like the product of a lazy mind.

Well, the woman who graded it (dare I say I was lucky enough to have a professor with a PhD for this class) loved it and said the only problem with it was with agreement in some of my wording

Don't take this the wrong way or anything but you didn't like this paper because it didn't appeal to what you thought it should be written on. I had no intention of touching or even implying any of the things you asked or commented on.

The paper was directed at the common to serious practitioner or somebody who didn't know anything about martial arts philosophy at all. I did have an audience to direct this towards. I'm sorry you did not like it and found that a "lazy mind" wrote it but honestly you expected something that was not really meant to be there.

By all means I do appreciate that you actually took time to sit down and read the writing. The criticism towards the paper just doesn't seem fitting, it really sounds like you read another paper and got mad at it and then wrote a review for this paper which was really for that paper. Or I may just be stupid.